ABSTRACT
The African continent has (re)gained agency in international relations. This is mainly due to the African Union (AU), which, after a political and institutional transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in the years 1999–2002, is increasingly representing African interests in the emerging post-Cold War multipolar world order. The Peace and Security Council met for the first time on March 16, 2004, and has held almost six hundred meetings since, usually at the level of Permanent Representatives. The Panel of the Wise is meant to support the PSC's efforts and those of the AUC chairperson, particularly in the area of conflict prevention. The Committee of Intelligence and Security Services (CISSA), based in Addis Ababa, also provides additional early warning information for the AUC chairperson and the PSC. Despite the fact that piracy off the Somali coast has declined in intensity since 2012, maritime security is another APSA-related policy field.
